Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said Thursday (05/21) the
government has a "significant arsenal" to respond to a natural disaster, but
he encouraged Americans to have their own plan as well.
"Our government has a very significant arsenal posed to spring into action
both before a hurricane strikes and immediately following."
Locke said the data collected for its annual hurricane outlook points to a
"near-normal" hurricane season. However Locke pointed out that 2005's
Hurricane Katrina and 2008's Hurricane Ike both occurred during a relatively
normal hurricane cycle.
"For 2009 the outlook for the Atlantic Hurricane season indicates a
near-normal season is most likely."
Locke said scientists predict somewhere between nine and 14 tropical storms.
Of those he said one to three will become "major hurricanes" reaching a
category 3, 4 or 5. In comparison Locke said Hurricane Katrina - the storm
that flooded New Orleans - was a category 3 when it made landfall. And
Hurricane Ike which caused enormous damage in Galveston, Texas was a category
4 over the water but only a category 2 when it made landfall.
"For 2009 we believe that we will experience the following range of storms:
nine to 14 named storms. Systems that reach tropical storm strength with
sustained winds of at least 39 miles per hour. Four to seven of those named
storms will become hurricanes. And one to three of those hurricanes - one to
three - will become major hurricanes reaching categories 3, 4 or 5 with winds
of at least 111 miles per hour."
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) head Jane Lubchenco
also stressed the importance of reminding Americans to be prepared.
"Hurricane season is upon us. And to anyone who lives and works in
hurricane-prone areas. To any of you who have family and friends in hurricane
prone areas, NOAA's message is clear : be prepared, have a plan."
Hurricane season runs from June to November.
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